When he returns with some workers, they discover that Marjory has been beaten to death. Julien swears to keep the secret and rushes to get medical care for Marjory.
To avoid scandal, he has hidden the truth from all but Regine.
Marjory confesses the truth: He is not Regine’s lover, he is her father.
Overwhelmed by jealousy, Julien attacks Marjory and tries to throttle the older man. Corradin arranges for Marjory’s letter-one that asks for a secret meeting with Regine-to be found by Julien. First, he bans Marjory from his house but the banker cannot stay away. Julien wants to trust Regine but the suspicion is too much for him. Why is Marjory so ready to part with large sums? Why is he always at Julien’s house? Why does he insist on seeing Regine alone? Corradin unleashes his dastardly plan. Corradin’s sees Julien’s discomfort and he begins to play Iago. Lately, Julien’s fabric mill has had financial troubles but Marjory always quietly swoops in and pays off the debts. He has always been extremely fond of her and lavishes attention on her, visiting whenever he can. At last, he seizes an opportunity to destroy Julien.Ī prosperous banker named Marjory (the mononymous Bartkevich) has been a friend of Regine’s family for years. Years pass but Corradin’s fixation on Regine does not diminish. Soon, little Christiane (Jane Munier) arrives and the Villandrit family is a happy trio. Regine is more than happy to claim that job, pampering her husband and always making sure that his neckties are straight, etc. Julien is a great guy but he’s a complete innocent and he really needs someone to take care of him. Regine is afraid of him but naïve Julien doesn’t see the warning signals. Obsessed with her and given to violence when he does not get his way. What Julien does not know is that his best friend and business partner, Henri Corradin (Charles Vanel), is also in love with Regine. She returns his affections, her family loves him and the wedding is all set. He has fallen in love with the girl next door, the practical Regine (Helene Darly). Julien Villandrit (Ivan Mosjoukine) is a peppy young fellow of Fairbanksian vigor. The setup for the tale is as follows: A little energetic… You will enjoy it so much more if you see it for yourself anyway. Would it live up to the very high expectations that I had built? This is where we find out! You had a bad week? He had a bad decade.įor obvious reasons, I am not going to do a blow-by-blow of the serials events. So, when I heard about The House of Mystery, I was primed for a treat. It’s the combination that Hollywood has always said was impossible and yet the Russian émigrés managed it again and again. They created wildly innovative movies that were both entertaining and intelligent. Russian émigré films promise a certain level of quality and their brand cachet is deserved. A talented band of performers and directors. Forgotten for a time by all but the most devoted film geeks and historians, the Albatros productions (and émigré films in general) are beginning to find a wider audience. The French welcomed them with open arms and they immediately set up shop. What’s that? Well, when the Russian Revolution went the way of the Bolsheviks, a good portion of the Russian film industry skedaddled for France. It also has chases, escapes, fights and an honest-to-goodness cliffhanger.
House of mystery 1961 serial#
It’s all about the characters and what an intriguing set this serial has! Still, it is genre-savvy and has many of the signatures of French serials: Over-the-top villainy, strong emphasis on the family unit and ridiculously tiny revolvers. This serial can actually be compared to an acclaimed television miniseries. So, please don’t think of this as Dick Tracy or Captain Marvel. While Feuillade was sniffed at as trash, even the staunchest anti-serial critics were won over by the intelligence and skill with which this Albatros production was made. The House of Mystery was built on this tradition but it surpassed its forbearers in the esteem of contemporary French critics. What makes them so good? For a start, unpredictable plots, strong performances and style to burn. Thanks to the re-release of Louis Feuillade’s anarchic capers ( Les Vampires, Fantomas, Judex), European serials in general (and French serials in particular) are praised among film buffs. I love Flash Gordon as much as the next gal (which is a lot) but I am not pretending that Buster Crabbe was robbed at the Oscars. While entertaining in the extreme, they often feature corny, clichéd plots, artificial cliffhangers and less-than-polished acting. Serials don’t have the best of artistic reputations and, frankly, this is deserved. Home Media Availability: Released on DVD.
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